Who: Singaporean pianist Jessie Meng, 16, known by her stage name Jessie M., has gone from being the youngest Grand Prize Winner of the Steinway Youth Piano Competition in 2018 to the youngest Young Steinway Artist in 2024.
A student at Raffles Institution, her impressive resume includes performing at Carnegie Hall in New York and the Paris Opera Bastille. At her debut solo concert Dark Stories at Victoria Concert Hall on March 19, she will perform works by Liszt, Ravel, Chopin, Liebermann, Scriabin and Bolcom.
“On the weekend, I embrace the luxury of waking up later without blaring alarms – I am up around 5.30am on weekdays to practise the piano before school. My routine begins at about 9am, when I have a simple but satisfying breakfast of hard-boiled eggs or toast.
The next stop is my haven, the piano, where I spend most of my time without feeling bored. I begin by learning some of the pieces on my bucket list and practising my current repertoire for my debut recital.
After practising, I need a mental and physical break, so I play covers of songs I like. It is a good way for me to relax. Songs from my favourite Mandopop singer JJ Lin are always fun.
Around midday, I have my mum’s home-cooked lunch. I love her egg soup, which is thicker than most other recipes. She makes other amazing dishes such as pork belly, which is my favourite, and glass noodles with vegetables.
After lunch, I will sit on my bed and read for an hour or so. I just finished Goddess: Inside Madonna by Barbara Victor. The book gives me motivation to hone my craft, and I am inspired by her passion and creativity. I also finished The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and I plan on finishing the whole series soon.
I try to be disciplined and finish most of my homework in school, so I can practise the piano and prepare for concerts at home. There are days when I cannot finish everything and have to do work at home, but I try not to spend more than an hour on it.
In the afternoon, I go back to the piano to listen to different recordings, including my own, and compare the different interpretations to see what else I can learn.
After this, I will probably meet some friends at a cat cafe because I really like cats. I like Catopia in Dunlop Street because it is very quiet and nicely decorated. You can book private rooms to watch Netflix, play games with friends, work at the tables or relax with the cats.
We might catch up over a nice dinner. I love the tomato soup base at Haidilao and cakes from Chateraise. I really treasure this time because I do not always get to spend time with them. It also helps with my playing because I can pull from these emotions.
To end a perfect weekend, I might go to a concert at Victoria Concert Hall or Esplanade Concert Hall. The symphonies and concertos that take my breath away leave my heart so full when I walk out of the hall. The night view along the river is nice too.
I prefer to go to bed before midnight and get a long night of sleep or I will not be able to function very well in the morning.”
Book it/Jessie M. Dark Stories – The Debut Recital
Where: Victoria Concert Hall, 11 Empress Place
When: March 19, 7.30pm
Admission: From $18 via Sistic (go to sistic.com.sg or call 6348-5555)
